Lajoux
Origin of the name Lajoux
The village appears in 1404 as « La Jous Mertinatt ». Until the 18th century it was called « Lajoux Mertenat ». « Joulz de Mertenait » is said to mean « the forest of the blacksmiths ».[1][2]
Founding of Lajoux
The founder of Lajoux is not known. The site was frequented from Roman times, as shown by the Gallo-Roman pottery from the Puits Willy, and in the 14th and 15th centuries bloomery furnaces smelted iron ore here. The village appears in 1404 and belongs until 1792 to the courtine of Bellelay, in the Prince-Bishopric of Basel. With Les Genevez it forms the parish of the Madeleine before becoming an independent parish in 1809. The municipality also includes the hamlets of Fornet-Dessus and Les Vacheries.[1]
History of Lajoux
Roman period. Gallo-Roman pottery found at the Puits Willy, east of the village.[1]
1181. First mention of Fornet: Bellelay Abbey receives « the two Fornet » from a family of blacksmiths from Undervelier.[2]
14th-15th centuries. Bloomery furnaces smelt iron ore in the territory of Lajoux.[1]
1404. First mention of the village, in the form « La Jous Mertinatt ».[1]
1746. Blessing of a chapel.[1][2]
1792. End of membership of the courtine of Bellelay. Lajoux passes to the Rauracian Republic.[1]
1793-1815. Lajoux belongs to the French departments of Mont-Terrible and then Haut-Rhin.[1]
1809. Creation of an independent parish, separated from the parish of the Madeleine shared with Les Genevez.[1]
1809-1810. Construction of the parish church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Présentation.[1]
1815-1978. Lajoux belongs to the canton of Bern.[1]
1971. Renovation and remodelling of the church, which receives stained glass by Coghuf.[1]
1979. Lajoux becomes part of the canton of Jura.[1]
1982. Start of production of the girolle, a tool used to scrape Tête de Moine cheese.[1]
Population of Lajoux
Sources and references: [1]
| 1818 | 477 |
| 1850 | 571 |
| 1888 | 637 |
| 1900 | 610 |
| 1950 | 580 |
| 1980 | 491 |
| 2000 | 606 |
| 2010 | 674 |
| 2020 | 659 |
| 2025 | 712 |
Historic sites in Lajoux
Church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Présentation. Parish church built in 1809-1810, renovated and remodelled in 1971 with stained glass by Coghuf. It keeps several old pieces from Bellelay Abbey. It is cultural property of regional importance.[1][4]
Gouffre de Lajoux. Known as the « creux à Koby », it is the deepest pothole in the canton of Jura, with a vertical range of 212 m (as of 2013). It has been explored since 1911.[3]
Hamlets of Fornet-Dessus and Les Vacheries. Hamlets of the municipality, formerly in the courtine of Bellelay.[1]
Remains in Lajoux
Pottery of the Puits Willy. Gallo-Roman pottery discovered at the Puits Willy, east of the village.[1]
Bloomery furnaces. Remains of bloomery furnaces for smelting iron ore, dated to the 14th and 15th centuries.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Lajoux (JU) » (Claude Rebetez)
- Commune de Lajoux, « Histoire de Lajoux »
- Spéléo-Club Jura, « Gouffre de Lajoux »
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population (OFPP), Inventaire PBC, liste cantonale du canton du Jura (état au 1.1.2026)
- Statistique Jura, tableau JU-T.01.01.03, population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025
- geo.admin.ch (swisstopo), recherche de lieux « Lajoux »
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Lajoux
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